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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379071
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Management of Row Crop Pests and Continued Boll Weevil Eradication

Location: Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research

Title: Cotton fleahopper biology and ecology relevant to the development of insect resistance management strategies

Author
item HAMONS, KRISTIN - Texas A&M University
item RASZICK, TYLER - Texas A&M University
item Perkin, Lindsey
item SWORD, GREGORY - Texas A&M University
item Suh, Charles

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/2021
Publication Date: 3/1/2021
Citation: Hamons, K.L., Raszick, T.J., Perkin, L.C., Sword, G., Suh, C.P. 2021. Cotton fleahopper biology and ecology relevant to the development of insect resistance management strategies. Southwestern Entomologist. 46(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3958/059.046.0101.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3958/059.046.0101

Interpretive Summary: A major agricultural company has developed a new genetically-modified line of cotton that produces a modified Bt toxin intended for plant bugs, but the toxin also has shown activity against the cotton fleahopper. As is the case for other insect pests on Bt crops, development of resistance to the toxin is a major concern. Consequently, before this new Bt cotton can be released commercially, refuge requirements and other Insect Resistance Management (IRM) strategies to prevent or at least delay the development of cotton fleahopper resistance to the new toxin will have to be established as mandated by EPA regulations. In previous work, we demonstrated that weed hosts in close proximity to cotton fields could serve as natural refuges. In this paper, we provide and discuss biological and ecological aspects of the cotton fleahopper that may useful for the development of sound resistance management strategies for this insect pest.

Technical Abstract: Since the success of the U.S. Boll Weevil Eradication Program and wide-spread adoption of genetically modified crops, the cotton fleahopper (CFH), Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter), has reemerged as a significant cotton pest. Current management strategies for this pest are based primarily on foliar applications of insecticides. A line of cotton that produces a modified Bt Cry51Aa2 protein has been developed for plant bugs, but the protein has also shown activity against the CFH. Consequently, before this new Bt line can be released commercially, refuge requirements along with other Insect Resistance Management (IRM) strategies, as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, will have to be established to prevent or delay the development of CFH resistance to the new toxin. In response, we provide and discuss relevant information on the biology and ecology of the CFH, including life history, host preference, movement, and population genetic structure, that may be useful for developing sound IRM strategies for this insect pest.